LISBON - Columbiana County schools can expect to receive an additional $4.63 million in federal money over the next two school years to help them retain teachers.
The Ohio Department of Education recently released estimated figures on how much each of the school districts in the state may receive from the $361 million in extra federal money received for education under a $26 billion emergency spending bill Congress passed in early August.
Of the amount, $10 billion was allocated to states to save teaching jobs. The cost of the entire bill is being paid for by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and by returning food stamp eligibility to pre-2009 levels.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, estimated the money would save 369 teaching positions among the 12 Ohio counties that make up the Sixth Congressional District. Teacher unions in Ohio have estimated it will save 5,500 jobs statewide.
The state decided how to divide the $361 million by using its new evidence-based school funding formula.
"Funding from the Ed Jobs program will enable Ohio schools to retain our most valuable educational resource, our teachers in the classroom, and preserve other education jobs that support our students," said state Superintendent Deborah Delisle, in a release.
Although the bill was promoted to help pay for teaching jobs that otherwise would be cut due to funding problems over the next two years, some of the local school districts are not in any imminent financial trouble. For example, the Lisbon school district is expected to have a budget balance of $3 million for each of the next two school years, yet it received $327,409 in additional federal funding.
The bill says the money is to be spent not only to save teacher jobs but on "other school building-related service jobs."
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The Columbus Dispatch contributed to this story.
